Apparatus for the cleaning of sewer systems



Jan. 12, 1965 1 P. HAMMELMANN 3,165,109

APPARATUS FOR THE CLEANING OF SEWER SYSTEMS Filed June 14', 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor.-

Jan. 12, 1965 HAMMELMANN 3,165,109

APPARATUS FOR THE CLEANING OF SEWER SYSTEMS Filed June 14, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 jm eman PAUL HA MMEA MA lY/Y A TTORIYE Y Jan. 12, 1965 P. HAMMELMANN 3,165,109

APPARATUS FOR THE CLEANING 0F SEWER SYSTEMS Filed June 14,- 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 my. a

m emon' 341/1. HAMMELMA llh WMW 1965 P. HAMMELMANN I 3,165,109

APPARATUS FOR THE CLEANING 0F SEWER SYSTEMS Filed June 14, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 84L. HAMMELNA/Y/Y A TTOP/YE Y Jan. 12, 1965 P. HAMMELMANN 3,165,109

APPARATUS FOR THE CLEANING OF SEWER SYSTEMS Filed June 14, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PHI/L HANMEL NA NH ATTO/WYE Y .a vehicle.

United States Patent 3,165,169 APPARATUS THE (ILEANENG Gi SEWER SYSTEME Paul Hammelnrann, ()elde, Westphalia, Germany Filed June 14, 19:52, er. No. 2il2,52

15 Claims. (til. 134-167} The present invention relates to cleaning sewer systems and in particular to an apparatus for cleaning such sewer systems in towns, villages and industrial plants.

According to the conventional mode of operation the cleaning of sewer systems is conducted in such a manner that an operator has to climb into a manhole in order to insert from the bottom thereof a hose into the pipes branching oil from the manhole. This kind of work is, however, very disagreeable and also dangerous, since frequently poisonous gases resulting from decay are formed, which gases represent a considerable health hazard.

Therefore one has already attempted to insert into the manhole from above ground a hose with propelling nozzle. By means of pressurized water the nozzle is then to be drawn into the sewer pipes, simultaneously cleaning the pipe walls.

In such an arrangement it is, however, according to experience always rather dilficult to control the hose with nozzle from above ground in such a manner that an efficient and careful cleaning action is actually achieved.

It is here where the invention originates, and an apparatus is proposed for cleaning sewer pipes and drains with a spray nozzle at the end of a tube, forming a cleaning member, to which nozzle cleaning liquid is supplied under high pressure by a high pressure pump generating spraying pressure. Such apparatus includes a hose guiding device which can be inserted into manholes from a known hose reeling device in which a hose drum is connected through a differential gear with a cable drum.

Advantageously the hose guiding device is in the form of a retractable and extendable telescopic column. This telescopic column can be hydraulically actuated by supplying hydraulic oil from a high pressure cylinder into the telescopic column. The power reserves required for the control movement can be accumulated in an accumulator.

Further details of a preferred embodiment are illustrated in exemplified form in the drawings. In the drawingsz FIGURE 1 is aside elevation of an apparatus according to the invention mounted on the loading platform of FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation of the same apparatus.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the apparatus according to FIGURE 1. 7

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of the hose guiding device in operational position.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal central section through a particularly suitable spraying nozzle.

According to the example of FIGURES 1 to 3, the apparatus for cleaning sewer pipes and drains according to the invention is constructed as a unit and mounted on the loading platform 1 of a vehicle 2.

The apparatus itself consists of a hose guiding device 3, connected with a high pressure cylinder 4, a hose 5, a hose reeling device 6, a high pressure pump 7, a tank 8 and an accumulator The hose guiding device 3 is in the form of a retractable and extendable telescopic column 10. The individual members of this telescopic column 10 can be telescoped in known manner. In FIGURE 1 the telescopic column 10 is shown in retracted position, and in FIGURE 4 in the extended position. The number of the individual ice telescopic members used can be selected according to requirements.

The telescopic column is connected via a pressure oil conduit 11 with a control cylinder 12, the cylinder volume of which is somewhat greater than the volume of the extended telescopic column. The whole system is filled With hydraulic oil. The piston of the control cylinder 12 is controlled via a three-way valve by the high pressure cylinder 4. The power reserves required for the control movement are preferably accumulated in the reserve container accumulators 9. The accumulators 9 are provided at their connecting points with valves which can be controlled to connect or disconnect the several accumulators operationally upon respective requirements.

By this hydraulic control of the telescopic column 10 the hose guiding device 3 can be extended and retracted in any desired manner. It is further possible to maintain the telescopic column in any desired extended position and lock the column in such a position.

Further the telescopic column is rotatably supported around its own axis.

At the lower end of the telescopic column is a head 13 in the form of a nozzle flushing device. This flushing device 13 is of resilient form and its objective is to absorb the shock of the hydraulic nozzle 14 acting in rearward direction. Further this device guides the hose 5 at the frontal end of which the nozzle 14 is mounted.

This hose 5 can also be wound on a hose drum 15 of hose winding device 6. Through a differential gear 16a the hose drum 15 is connected with the cable drum l6, Suitably the diameter of the hose winding drum is a multiple of the diameter of the cable winding drum.

It was found that the retrieving of the hose may subject the hose to considerable stress. Such excessive stress exerted on the hose can be avoided by securing to the nozzle head a wire cable 17 running parallel to the hose 5 and also through the head 13 of the hose guiding device 3, in order to be wound on the cable winding drum 16. Since the diameter of the cable winding drum is substantially smaller than the diameter of the hose winding drum, it is ensured that the pulling action is always performed by the steel cable and not the hose 5.

When using a wire cable 17 it is also possible to mount additional cleaning tools, like brushes or similar tools, at the nozzle 14, which tools can be retracted easily by the cable when the nozzle is working in the direction of the hose guiding device 3. Such equipment eliminates the necessity of using special sewer cleaning winches which otherwise are required for removing considerable fouling.

The hose 5 and the steel cable 17 are mutually passed over guiding rollers 18 onto the two winding drums 15 and 16. The drive of this hose winding device is effected e.g. by the shaft 19 of the vehicle 2. Additionally there can be mounted at the head 13 of the hose guiding device 3 a cover lifter 21 and a mirror 22. The mirror 22 reflects from a light source 23 downwardly directed light in such a manner that it is possible to determine from above the manhole where the individual pipe openings branch off.

It is particularly advantageous to arrange between the hose guiding device 3 and the hose drum 15 a hose washing nozzle 24, in order to remove the dirt adhering to the retrieved hose 5.

A pressure adjusting lever 25 controls the pressure of the spraying liquid, and a control lever 26 is provided for lifting, locking and lowering the hose guiding device. A control lever 27 regulates actuation of the winch.

A nozzle which can be controlled by a high-pressure valve is particularly advantageous. A representative embodiment is shown in FIGURE 5. This nozzle is automatically controllable by the water pressure and permits a selective spraying of the cleaning liquid in the forward as well as rearward direction.

The nozzle cleaning head can, for example, consist of a mouthpiece 28, a head piece 29 and a casing 30, as well as a longitudinally reciprocatable hollow piston 31 and a spring 32.

The mouthpiece 23 is provided with a hose connecting opening 33 and several conduits 34 branching off from such opening. Conduits 35 are arranged in the piston 31 corresponding, respectively, to the conduits 34. The head piece 29 is also provided at its center with a conduit 36, one end of which is in fluid connection with the conduits 35 of the piston 31 and the other end of which is in communication with nozzle openings 37 in the end of the head piece 29 opposite the head connecting opening Upon admission of the cleaning liquid under pressure, the cleaning head piston 31 is either in a position as shown in FIGURE 5, in which position the water jet can be ejected from the frontal nozzle openings 37, or the piston is pressed by greater water pressure against the action of the spring 32 in upward direction, so that the fluid connection with the conduit 36 is interrupted and the connection with the rearward nozzle openings 38 is opened. In this case the water jet is ejected through these nozzle openings 38 in the rearward direction.

The whole cross section of the frontal nozzle openings 37 is of such type that a drop in pressure cannot occur at the pump, since at a certain pre-set operational pressure the amount of water supplied by the pump is greater than the amount of water ejected from the nozzle openings 37. Accordingly the pressure is increased in the accumulators to such a degree that the spring 32 is compressed by the piston 31. Thus the liquid supply to the nozzle openings 37 is interrupted by movement of the piston, which simultaneously uncovers a connection to the rearward nozzle opening 38. The cross sections of these nozzle openings 38 are selected so that more liquid can be ejected than is supplied by the pump. Accordingly a maximum pulling and cleaning action is achieved as well as a pressure drop of the accumulator system incorporating accumulators 9. The spring 32 returns the piston 31 into its original position of FIGURE in which it closes the supply for the nozzle openings 38 and opens the nozzle openings 37, and the resultant throttling effect of openings 37 results in a renewed pressure increase in the accumulators, so that the above described operation of Water being ejected through forward openings 37 and rearward openings 38 alternately is repeated automatically until the liquid supply is shut oil.

By the arrangement of several accumulators, which can be operatively connected and disconnected individually, the frequency of the reversing process can be controlled depending on whether a longer forward or rearward movement of the nozzle, corresponding to the degree of fouling of the sewer system to be cleaned, is desired.

Alternatively an arrangement can be used in which the supply capacity of the pump can be adjusted so that such supply and the ejected liquid are in equilibrium. In this arrangement the water is ejected continuously only from the nozzle openings 38.

According to the invention the nozzle flushing device 13 preferably includes an injector nozzle terminating in a seal to close the passage around the nozzle flushing device, and the injector also includes a bent member carrying a steel nozzle. At the injector is mounted a hose for mud removal.

In contrast to the previously known method in which the mud is removed by suction devices, which are restricted in their suction height and require an extensive and expensive mechanism (vacuum pump, vacuum tank), the injector and mud removing hose arrangement of the present invention has the advantage that it will function over any desired height, i.e. higher than 32 feet, and open or at least not absolutely pressure-tight tanks can be used for the removal of the mud.

Naturally also other self-controlled high-pressure nozzle heads are suitable for the apparatus according to the invention. A particular advantage of the apparatus according to the invention is that it can be mounted on the loading platform of a vehicle, and thus can be moved rapidly and safely. In cleaning a sewer the vehicle is arranged at the manhole in such a manner that the hose guiding device can be inserted downward into the manhole after the manhole cover has been removed by means of the manhole lifter 21. The hose guiding device is then lowered together with the hose 5 and the steel cable 17 to the bottom of the sewer pipe. The telescopic column is now rotated with the assistance of the light searching device, in such a manner that the nozzle head 14 is directed into a sewer pipe opening branching laterally from the manhole. When cleaning liquid from the container 8 is forced into the hose 5 by means of the high pressure pump 7, the nozzle begins its spraying and cleaning action, while simultaneously moving the hose forward along the sewer pipe. By the automatic control of the nozzle, as described with reference to FIGURE 5, the nozzle can be moved alternately forward and rearward depending on how the pressure of the cleaning liquid is controlled. After completion of the cleaning process it is also easy to withdraw the tube together with the nozzle head and the additional cleaning tools mounted on the nozzle head. By the actuation of the hose and cable winding drum, the steel cable 17 withdraws the nozzle head guided by the nozzle flushing device 13. It is now only necessary to withdraw the telescopic column and replace the manhole cover.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cleaning sewer pipes comprising a hose, a nozzle carried by the end of said hose, means connected to said hose for supplying cleaning fluid thereto under pressure, guiding means guiding said hose for insention into a sewer pipe, a cable attached to said hose adjacent to said nozzle and also guided by said guiding 'means, a hose reel on which said hose is wound, located at the side of said guiding means opposite said nozzle, a cable drum on which said cable is wound, rota-table relative to said hose reel, and located at the side of said guiding means opposite said nozzle, and gearing connecting said hose reel and said cable drum for coordinating relative rotation thereof.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, in which the guiding means include an upright column the lower end of which is in guiding engagement with the hose and cable and is projectab'le downward and retractable upward with respect to the upper portion of said upright column.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2, in which the column includes a fluid jack operable to effect movement of its lower end.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 2, and locking means connected to the column and operable to lock the column with its lower end at any desired elevation.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 2, and means supporting the column for rotation of its lower end about an upright axis.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 2, and pivot means supporting the column.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 2, and manhole cover lifting means mounted on the columns lower end.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 2, and an inclined mirror mounted on the lower end of the column and lighting means operable to illuminate a sewer pipe viewed in the mirror.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 2, and nozzle flushing means mounted on the lower end of the column.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9, in which the nozzle flushing means includes sealing means for sealing the chamber around the column, a hose extending through said seal for removal of mud and injector means cooperating with said mud removal hose.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 1, and hose washing means mounted between the guiding means and the hose reel, and operable to project a stream of cleansing fluid onto the hose as it is moved past said cleansing means by the hose reel.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 1, in which the hose reel has a diameter which is a multiple of the diameter of the cable drum.

13. Apparatus for cleaning sewer pipelines comprising a hose for insertion into a sewer pipe, a hose reel on which said hose is wound rotatable for projection of said hose therefrom into various extended positions, means connected to said hose for supplying cleansing fluid thereto under pressure, a nozzle carried by the end portion of said hose ejecting a fluid jet effecting projection of said hose into such extending positions, a cable extended from a location adjacent to said hose reel alongside said hose in its various extended positions and attached to said hose adjacent to said nozzle, a cable drum on which said cable is wound located adjacent to said hose reel, and means connecting said hose reel and said cable drum for to ordinating rotation thereof to effect conjoint movement of substantially equal lengths of said hose and said cable extending from said hose reel and cable drum, respectively, in the same direction.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13, a vehicle, and means mounted on said vehicle carrying the cleansing fluid supply means, the hose reel and the cable drum for projection of the hose and cable eonjointly into various positions extended from said vehicle.

15. Apparatus for cleaning sewer pipes comprising a hose, guiding means guiding said hose for insertion into a sewer pipe, means connected to said hose for supplying cleansing fluid under pressure, a nozzle carried by the end portion of said hose having forwardly directed openings and rearwardly directed openings and including a piston reciprocable between a position closing the forwardly directed openings and a position closing the rearwardly directed openings, spring means engaging said piston and acting thereon in the direction opposite pressure thereon of fluid to be discharged through said nozzle for effecting alternate movement of said piston in one direction by fluid pressure and in the opposite direction by said spring means, and several accumulators connected to said cleansing fluid supplying means for regulating the pressure of fluid supplied thereby to effect such alternate piston movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,017,578 McMillan Feb. 13, 1912 1,145,418 Huelsdonk July 6, 1915 1,274,931 Otterson Aug. 6, 1918 2,251,916 Cross Aug. 12, 1941 2,714,080 Kennedy July 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 945,338 France Nov.'29, 1948 

1. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SEWER PIPES COMPRISING A HOSE, A NOZZLE CARRIED BY THE END OF SAID HOSE, MEANS, CONNECTED TO SAID HOSE FOR SUPPLYING CLEANING FLUID THERETO UNDER PRESSURE, GUIDING MEANS GUIDING SAID HOSE FOR INSERTION INTO A SEWER PIPE, A CABLE ATTACHED TO SAID HOSE ADJACENT TO SAID NOZZLE AND ALSO GUIDED BY SAID GUIDING MEANS, A HOSE REEL ON WHICH SAID HOSE IS WOUND, LOCATED AT THE SIDE OF SAID GUIDING MEANS OPPOSITE SAID NOZZLE, A CABLE DRUM ON WHICH SAID CABLE IS WOUND, ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID HOSE REEL, AND LOCATED AT THE SIDE OF SAID GUIDING MEANS OPPOSITE SAID NOZZLE, AND GEARING CONNECTING SAID HOSE REEL AND SAID CABLE DRUM FOR COORDINATING RELATIVE ROTATION THEREOF. 